Resting in the Shade of Our Safe God

Sam's in and out of my house all day long, but never more so than when Ryan is home. The two of them are nearly inseparable. In the picture above, Sam, Ryan and I were on the pond levee, feeding the fish. Bento, Ryan's dog, was playing in the grass, chasing bugs.

Late in the afternoon, the surrounding trees give enough shade to make this a cool, comfortable spot. 

We take shelter in the shade of the towering oaks.

This morning, the image of the three of us, comfortably resting under the trees by the lake, came to mind as I read Psalm 91.

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High 

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."

Psalm 91:1 nasb

The psalmist goes on to say that God will "cover us with His pinions" and we can take refuge "under His wings." 

When we put our lives, our faith, our trust in Almighty God alone, we have taken shelter in a safe, comfortable place. It's the safest place of all. 

There is no danger, no trouble, no sorrow that can attack us under His protecting wings, unless it goes through Him first. What danger is strong enough to go through God? No danger. 

This doesn't mean that we will never encounter danger, trouble, or sorrow. It means that God may allow us to face these trials, but we won't do it alone, and we won't do it without His protection and assistance. 

All our trials will have a point. None of them will be wasted.

Verse 5 of that psalm also tells us, "You will not be afraid..."

In this world, there is so much evil that it's easy to be intimidated by the present and by the future. Our world is full of angry, disenchanted, violent people who seek to take matters into their own hands. They want retaliation and change, though it's seldom clear that what they propose will be an improvement. 

I see our nation and our world heading in a deadly spiral of sin, and the future looks bleak.

There's good news, though. We don't have to be afraid. 

When we take shelter under the wings of the Almighty, our future is not in the hands of angry, disenchanted, violent people. Our future is not in the hands of corrupt officials or crazed terrorists. 

Our future is held tight in the no-slip grip of Jesus Himself.

When we rest under the shadow of the Almighty, we are sheltered in a safe and comfortable place. No fear. No anxiety. No uncertainty. 

We are safe. Now and in the future.

Today, let's put our trust in the One who created and sustains the universe. The One who not only sees the past, present, and future but has the power to intervene. The One who loves us most.

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me." 

John 14:1 nasb 

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: God's Favorite Spot

#faith #Jesus #worry #disciple